Down the Lonely Road: Betrayal
by lightyearsaway
Summary: The journey for the Seigaku varsity team to the Nationals was not easy. More than a hundred laps, and the many Inui juices they had to endure was worth it. Or was it? Ryomacentric, where the boywonder disappoints everyone.
1. Journey

Disclaimer: PoT doesn't belong to me. I own the plot, though. This can be called AU, I guess.

Summary: The journey for the Seigaku varsity team to the Nationals was not easy. More than a hundred laps, and the many Inui juices they had to endure was worth it. Or was it?  


AN: Underlined words are spoken in English.

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**Down the Lonely Road: Betrayal**

**Journey**

Everyone who attended Seishun Gakuen Junior High School when I was in first year knew about it. Even those who weren't interested in tennis -- knew how great their varsity tennis team was. It was a glorious year for Seigaku -- they had made it to the Nationals, and won the competition. The team of nine had worked hard all year, and coupled with the fact that the players were all talented; they all deserved the win. The team had bonded, and they had a very tight bond, indeed. Each player had a special way of playing tennis; this made them unpredictable. The Seigaku Tennis Team was the most admired. Their opponents they had defeated in their journey to Nationals, Fudoumine; St Rudolph; Yamabuki; Hyoutei; and others, weren't at all less prominent than Seigaku. Those schools had players as unique as Seigaku's. So, my point is that the journey for the Seigaku varsity team to the Nationals was not easy. More than a hundred laps, and the many Inui juices they had to endure was worth it. Or was it?

Let's start from the basics: the Seigaku tennis team members. Let me introduce the captain, the person who brought Seigaku to victory. The buchou: Tezuka Kunimitsu. Anyone would feel intimidated by just being in his presence. He is someone who commands authority, someone who expects the best from everyone in his club. Even though his facial expressions never change, somehow, Oishi-senpai knows how to read the stoic and silent buchou. Tezuka-buchou is the strongest in Seigaku, the numero uno. The buchou had mastered many complicated techniques, and this means that he is a genius. No one would challenge me on this. But the even the buchou has weaknesses: his left shoulder was injured when he was in first year. See, Tezuka-buchou is a left-hander and he was such a genius that some senior had hit him with a racket or something like that. I'm not sure about this, I don't know the full story.

Next is the fukubuchou: the vice captain, Oishi Syuchiroh. He was nicknamed the Mother of Seigaku, he had mothered everyone in the club. Still does, I'm guessing. His kindness and benevolence had made him very likeable and approachable. He plays doubles with another member of the team, Kikumaru-senpai. People have said that the two have chemistry, that was why they could play doubles so well. The two was nicknamed 'the Golden Pair'. Well, some people say that the two became doubles partners because they want to beat each other so badly. By becoming doubles partners, they could read each other's moves, so it would be easier for them to defeat the other. Or something like that. I'm not sure about this, either. Some people think that the two have chemistry of a different kind. But I find it hard to believe that. Oishi-senpai, gay? I don't think so.

Next up is Seigaku's number two and resident tensai, Fuji Syusuke. He is _always_ seen smiling (wouldn't one's face hurt from smiling too much?). But on the courts, he's a powerful and serious player. His three Returns are what some people say works of art. And his eyes are scary. Very scary. When they're open, of course. And he can drink Inui-senpai's juice without puking! That only adds to Fuji-senpai's... scariness, for the lack of a better word. At times like these, your brain turns to mush.

Then there's Inui Sadaharu. He was dropped from the Regulars when he lost in the ranking matches. But he became manager, and created vile juices. His data tennis is very accurate, and very scary. He's scary. His tennis is scary. His juices are scary. Let's just leave it at that, okay? I don't want him to suddenly appear behind me with a glass of frothing green _thing_.

Kikumaru Eiji is an acrobatic player, and he's hyper. Very hyper. He forms the other half of the Golden Pair. He likes to tease people, and he likes to whine. But he's a cool senpai, being able to do all those impressive acrobatic moves. He's really likeable, being the most childlike of them all. I like him. He's a much much better senpai to be with than Inui. Nya.**  
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Kawamura Takashi is an MPD. He has Multiple Personality Disorder. He yells English phrases and words that I don't particularly understand when he touches his tennis racquet. But his sushi is delicious! He plans to continue his father's sushi business after high school, and tennis isn't part of his plans. Too bad, really, he's a great asset to the team. If he doesn't a have a racquet in his hands, he's a shy and kind person. If, and only _if_.

Kaidoh Kaoru is another very scary senpai. I don't like him. Not one bit. I may be biased, because some girls in my class in my second year back in Junior High actually created a Kaidoh Kaoru fan club. I don't understand these _females_. What's there to like about a guy who hisses like a snake every time he gets pissed? Honestly, though, he's a great tennis player. He's better than Momo-senpai, that's for sure; but don't tell Momo I said that, or he won't treat me at the burger shop.

Why did I say that? Well, that's because Momoshiro Takeshi, or Momo-senpai, and Kaidoh-senpai are arch rivals. Enemies. Always seen, or rather, heard arguing loudly over something that almost always later turned out later to be trivial. Too insignificant to argue about, really. And if, or rather, _when_ they get too noisy, which is quite often, they get punishment laps from Tezuka-buchou. But still, Momo is my favourite senpai of all. He has a good heart.

The eight unique Seigaku Regulars - no, don't worry, I didn't forget that I said nine members, I'm getting to it - have definitely bonded over that one year they won the Nationals. They were quite close, so there was a big shock when the ninth member left. Echizen Ryoma, member number nine, the first first-year to ever become a regular. He was the baby of the team, but his tennis skills speak for themselves.

The Pillar of Seigaku. A pillar supports the building. Without a pillar, it will crumble. That's exactly what happened. The tennis team crumbled in my second and third year. We never made it to the end of the Prefecturals. We lost in the first few rounds. With Momo-senpai and Kaidoh-senpai as co-captains, it wasn't that bad, the tennis club, I mean. But in my third year, it was a disaster. Embarrassing, isn't it, we won one year, and then flunk the rest. We were the hot topic for those two years. Without Tezuka-buchou, and the rest of the then third-year senpais, we had no chance of winning. No Echizen, either. **'What happened to the promising team?'** news headlines scream. My answer? _Gone_.

Personally, I blame Echizen. If he hadn't left so suddenly, I would have blamed something else. Say, there wasn't enough strong players on our team. Or, the other schools were just better than us. But two days before term was about to start, he was gone. He didn't say anything, nor did he leave a message. Echizen Ryoma. Seigaku's _golden boy, the Prince of Tennis_. **Traitor**, more like.

I'm still bitter about this. I'm sorry, but I can't help it. Normally, I'm a forgiving guy, but this is a bit personal. Let me a take a breather to calm down, and I'll explain all; what happened to Ryoma.

Two years ago, on the first day of school, we were all happy; the win at the Nationals psyched us up. The tennis club vowed to repeat our senpai's feat. With Momo-senpai and Kaidoh-senpai to bring up and hone our skills, Ryuzaki-sensei to train us, and Echizen as our pillar, we'd be unstoppable. We would train hard, study hard, and play smart. Or so we thought.

Echizen Ryoma never turned up for school that day. At first, we speculated, 'He must have overslept again.', or 'He forgot that there was school.' But on the second day, he wasn't in school, either. Momo-senpai asked the school secretary, wondering about Echizen. Did he call in sick? Or was he in some kind of trouble with the school?

Turned out that Echizen had quit school. The three of us, Momo-senpai, Kaidoh-senpai, and I were speechless. Kaidoh-senpai recovered first and demanded quite politely, albeit roughly, the reason. The secretary was also quite surprised that he didn't tell us that he was quitting school. She explained, that Echizen Ryoma had come into school two days before the start of the semester with his father to collect his things and to inform the school that they were leaving. His father signed the necessary papers, and they left. The reason was a family emergency, and they had to move. To where, they didn't say. She told us, apologetically, that she didn't know anything else, and neither did the principal, that she couldn't help us, and she had a lot of work to do. And we had to leave, of course, because the bell signalling the end of lunch had already rung.

Tezuka-senpai, Oishi-senpai and the others were shocked to hear the news, too. Inui-senpai was immediately tasked to find out what really happened. He hacked into the school computer, and got into student records. But Echizen Ryoma's name wasn't in there anymore. Echizen Ryoma's existence had already been erased.

Kikumaru-senpai was in tears when he found out that there was no trace of his 'Ochibi'; no way to find him; contact him; or even to know where he went. The Echizen family left no trace at all. When the seniors went to his house, figuring the people who moved there would know what happened to the Echizens; they were disappointed. Kawamura-senpai, Kikumaru senpai, and Oishi-senpai were saddened; Fuji-senpai and Inui-senpai decided that they would keep trying; Kaidoh-senpai and Momo-senpai concentrated harder than ever on the tennis team. Tezuka-buchou was as stoic as ever. If he was ever disheartened by what Echizen Ryoma did, he never showed it.

The players from the other schools; Dan Taichi from Yamabuki amongst others, were also quite dismayed at the news of Echizen Ryoma's disappearance, when they found out. Some people sneered at the news, while others were saddened. But the question still remained; what happened?

We found out later in the year, through Inui-senpai. He had come across an online American sports newspaper, and there was mention of Echizen Ryoma. The boy had been playing in the US open. At thirteen, he was forced to play in the Under-16 category, but what did that matter? Echizen Ryoma had breezed through the preliminaries, and was now in the finals, facing last-year's winner. 'The Prince of Tennis Returns!' screamed the headline. Typical.

So he moved back to America. He could've told us! Called; written, or something. Kikumaru-senpai suggested we write to him, but Tezuka-buchou said no. We argued, but Oishi-senpai put his foot down. If Echizen Ryoma wanted to keep in touch, he would have contacted us by now. His silence means he doesn't want us interfering; and we won't disturb him. I didn't think Oishi-senpai could be so cold; he was quite firm in ordering us to back off Echizen.

Later on, it was official. Momoshiro-senpai had lost his temper when a freshman asked about the missing player, wondering if he really won the US open; and was he really that good. Momo-senpai called Echizen Ryoma a traitor who had abandoned us all, ran away from his responsibilities, and we were not to talk about him anymore. After that, Kaidoh-senpai calmed his co-captain by playing a set with him. Kaidoh-senpai had a good heart after all.

But the title stuck. After that incident, Echizen Ryoma was branded a traitor to the Seigaku tennis team. Every freshman started referring to him by the word traitor. The name Echizen Ryoma was substituted with **_Traitor_**. Even when Kaidoh-senpai and Momoshiro-senpai left.

Somehow, the third-year senpais had all entered our affiliated high school. Tezuka, Oishi, Fuji, Kikumaru and Inui-senpai's had joined Seishun Gakuen Senior High School Tennis club. Kawamura-senpai enrolled into the same high school, but didn't join the tennis club. Later, Momoshiro and Kaidoh-senpai entered the same school, too. So Katchiro, Katsuo and I decided to follow them too, once we graduated from junior high.

I never mentioned Ryuzaki Sakuno, or Osakada Tomoka, did I? They were both rabid fans of the Traitor. Needless to say, they were devastated when they heard the news. Tomoka was inconsolable for the first week. Sakuno was silent for the first month. But when they heard of the Traitor's feat in the US Open, they stopped being depressed, and became normal people. Not once did I hear the Traitor's name from them since.

Now, as I step through the gates of Seishun Gakuen Senior High School, I feel relieved. At least, here, we can start anew. The past cannot catch up with us here. We will create new memories, in a world without Echizen Ryoma.

Katou Kachiro, Mizuno Katsuo, Tomoka and Sakuno are waiting for me, and the bell is about to ring. We are in the same class, and there is no way Echizen Ryoma will be in it. It'll be a memorable year, and I... Did I see that? I thought- No. There is no way that he'd be here. I _did not_ see a black-haired boy with golden eyes. I, Horio Satoshi, will not let my Senior High be plagued by the past. The final bell is ringing, and I have to go to class. I'm not flunking Senior High.

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Said boy with golden eyes shrunk back out of view, and sighed. "They're never going to forgive me even if I dropped dead ten times over."

"Really?" A female voice. "Does that mean you're not going to join the tennis club, Ryo?" Silence. "Never mind, let's just get to class. There's no use worrying about it now."

"Kari, I don't need you to tell me what to do."

"With an attitude like that, no wonder they are unforgiving."

"That's not funny."

"Sorry. But all we can do now are the things that we believe in today. And if we realise later on that we made a mistake, we can cry or get angry then. And after that, we'll think of what to do next."

"Life goes on."

"Damn right."

"Let's go live it, then."

"Welcome back to the world of the living, Echizen Ryoma."

"We'll be late if we don't hurry."

"Hai!"

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AN: My Japanese is solely based through what I've read on so if there's some mistakes, tell me, and I'll correct it. There'll be a second part to this, maybe a third. This'll not be long, that's for sure.

Thanks for reading. Please comment, and please review! Any suggetstions will be appreciated.

lightyearsaway


	2. Coming Home

Disclaimer: PoT doesn't belong to me. I own the plot, though. This can be called AU, I guess.

Summary: The journey for the Seigaku varsity team to the Nationals was not easy. More than a hundred laps, and the many Inui juices they had to endure was worth it. Or was it?  


AN: Underlined words are spoken in English.

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**Down the Lonely Road: Betrayal **

Coming Home

They were astounded, I guess, that I actually came back. Why wouldn't they? They knew my love for tennis. Obviously they thought that I would stay in America, play in the US Open, then go and grab some Grand Slam titles and become a pro. They keep _underestimating_ me all the time! I wish they'd stop.

Luckily for me, everyone in my class didn't recognise me. Maybe that's because I'm taller, but that's no excuse! I didn't change my hairstyle, and my eyes are still that distinctive golden colour. Not that I _did_ want them to know who I really am, but still...

I heard that there was a big fuss about me when I left. After two years, they forgot about me. It'd be funny if it wasn't so pathetic. I'd laugh anyway, but I'm not in the mood. But, all the better, I guess. This way, I can talk with my seniors before anyone knows who I really am. I just hope my teachers would think first before saying my name...

"Hey!" The teacher said. "What's your name, kid?"

I looked up. He's pointing at me. Is he? "Me?" I asked.

"No, the window beside you." He replied. Sarcasm noted. "Of course I'm talking to you! What's your name?"

"My name?" I hesitated. This is where my luck runs out. Oh _why_ can't I be as lucky as that Yamabuki fukubuchou?

"Never mind." He said, consulting the register. Damn.

"Echizen Ryoma, am I right?" He stated.

"Yes." I answered after a few seconds. There were audible gasps, but this teacher ignored them. He didn't recognise my name.

"Well then, will you continue reading the passage, Echizen-kun?"

It was English class, and we were going through the story Sleeping Beauty. A happily ever after fairy tale. I'd spaced out, of course, it's a childish story! And it was last period, and I was tired. Besides, my life definitely wouldn't end like a fairy tale: 'And they lived happily ever after'. But being a student, I had to comply with his request. No problem; it was _English_, for the love of tennis. But as I read, Izumi-sensei didn't hear the whispers of my classmates.

Finally, the bell rang for end of school. I don't really know how I had endured my classmates' whispering; no doubt the news will spread. I'd already talked to Ryuzaki-sensei this morning, and had arranged a meeting with my former team mates in her office. I arrived first, and they came in soon after. First, it was Tezuka-buchou and Oishi, then Fuji, Kikumaru, Inui, Kawamura and Kaidoh. Finally, Momoshiro.

I watched them as they entered, and studied their faces. They'd all - _changed_. Tezuka-buchou looked like he always did, a twenty-year-old man. Oishi-senpai, and the rest, looked _fatigued_. They had seen too many horrible things. They weren't the senpais I knew two years ago. They had lost their innocence; whatever traces of youth they had were now gone. And it's all my fault.

I stood in silence as their chatter washed over me. To hear their voices again! Fortunately, none of them had seen me.

"Dark clouds are gathering." Fuji-senpai stated.

"Yes... heavy downpour is imminent, ninety-eight percent." Inui-senpai and his data.

"Hmm, if it _does_ rain, we'll have to cancel practice." Oishi-senpai said.

"Good, nya! Then we can go and eat ice-cream!" Kikumaru-senpai and his hyper activeness.

"Um, that might not a good idea, Eiji-senpai," Momoshiro-senpai said. "Anyway, I heard something on my way here-"

"That will explain why you were the last to arrive," Kaidoh-senpai interrupted.

"What did you say, Mamushi!"

"All right, that's enough! I want you to meet someone." Ryuzaki-sensei said, and gestured to the boy standing at the window. Me.

I looked up, and met the eyes of my buchou. I couldn't read his face. I directed my gaze to the group as a whole, and realised that their expressions had changed. I saw shocked faces. Hmm, so the word hadn't spread far, _yet_.

"Konnichiwa," I greeted them.

"Echizen!" The whispers of surprise came out.

"_What are you doing here_!" Momo-senpai. "You left us! _We don't need you_!"

"Momoshiro! Stop!" Oishi-senpai. "Let him explain first." He turned to me. "That's why you wanted to meet us, right?"

I sighed. "Echizen Ryoma, the Traitor." I gave a thin smile. "I guess I deserve that title."

"Echizen," Oishi-senpai started.

"No. I betrayed senpai-tachi's trust, so _traitor_ is a suitable word. Right now, all I can do is apologise. That's why... I wanted this meeting. I can't possibly undo what I'd done two years ago... and even if I wanted to, I... wouldn't. But what I _can_ do now is change my future and my destiny. I couldn't then, but I _will_ choose my path this time round.

"I betrayed your trust, and for that, I'm sorry. I apologise for whatever embarrassment and suffering all of you had endured on my account. I truly am sorry." I bowed.

Silence. Then, "Do you want to add anything else, Ryoma-kun?" Fuji-senpai.

I looked up; this was unexpected. Oishi-senpai, Kikumaru-senpai, Inui-senpai, Kawamura-senpai and Fuji-senpai were smiling. I blinked. Was Kaidoh-senpai smiling, too?

"Echizen?" Oishi prompted.

"Yes. I'd like to play with senpai-tachi again. I know that this is a selfish request, but... one can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."

A long silence. Then, Tezuka-buchou said,

"Ryoma-kun, okaerinasai."

I looked up as Kikumaru-senpai grabbed me into a bear hug. I looked at Tezuka and Oishi. Both had smiles on their faces, Oishi-senpai's wide; Tezuka-buchou's slight. They were glad that I came back! Inui-senpai had already begun to take down new data; I had grown. Kawamura-senpai was laughing at Kikumaru-senpai's antics, while Oishi-senpai tried to calm his doubles partner. Fuji-senpai was standing near Tezuka-buchou, talking to him in soft tones. Kaidoh-senpai muttered a welcome back. I smiled.

"NYA! Ochibi's **smiling**!" Kikumaru-senpai exclaimed. Everyone stared. And laughed. It was a team moment; just like the ones when I was twelve.

"Arigato." I said. But then I saw Momo-senpai. He was standing by himself, arms crossed in front of him, frowning.

"Your name will definitely be on the ranking matches list. Tezuka?" Oishi-senpai asked. After a wordless conversation between buchou and Oishi, Tezuka announces to the whole team, "We'll be having them next week. Good luck, everyone, and work hard."

"You mean you're just going to welcome him _back_ into the fold!" Momoshiro burst out, incredulous. "_Just like that_?"

"Momo? What's wrong?"

"What do you mean _what's wrong_!" Momo exploded. "Don't you _know_ what he _did_? **_HE BETRAYED US_**! He **_said so himself_**! And you're going to let him join the team _just like that_!"

"Momo, nya..."

"Momo, Ryoma-kun explained, didn't he?"

"**NO, HE DID NOT!**"

"If Momoshiro-senpai doesn't want me to join, then I won't." I spoke in the stunned silence.

"Echizen, no..."

"Oishi-senpai, if it isn't an unanimous decision, I won't join. Momoshiro-senpai hates me. That's understandable. If I did, the team would break up. I don't want that to happen. So _I won't join_." I said, my tone final. I turned to leave, hoisting my backpack onto my shoulder.

At the door, I paused and turned. "And Momoshiro-senpai?" I asked. He looked at me. "I know it's a bit too late, but... I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry that I couldn't be perfect - for you." I left the room at a run.

I heard my name being called, but I ignored them. I don't deserve their compassion. I ran through the gates, heading for home. I had made one mistake too many. I'm... crying? Oh, no... no, _NO_! Not now! _I won't cry_! I blinked furiously, trying to stem the flow. I succeeded, but just barely.

I reached home in record time and ran straight up to my room. There, I let my backpack fall to the floor, and buried my face into the pillow. Thunder rumbled outside, thick rain splattering against the window. The weather reflects what I'm feeling right now... angry... and dejected.

As I replayed the scene in my mind over and over again, my eyes started to water again. I let the tears flow. It hurt too much to keep them in. I've been _rejected_ before! So _why_ does it hurt so much... being rejected by Momo-senpai? I deserved the dismissal, God knows how much I really deserved it!

_But... The pain... is... excruciating..._

_Still... I... deserved... this...  
_

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"Ryoma-kun?" I jerked awake at the loud knocking. "Ryoma-kun!" It's okaa-san's voice. "Are you in there?" she called. "Come out please, I need to talk to you!"

"Hai!" I grunted, climbing out of bed. I changed quickly out of my school uniform and into my tennis clothes. I grabbed my racquet and a few balls. I opened the door into my mother's prematurely-lined face. I placed my racquet by the wall, and went into the bathroom to splash water on my face.

"Ryoma, Sumire-san called me, and said to tell you that your seniors are planning to come here to talk to you. After their practice. She thought she ought to forewarn you,"

"Don't let them in. I don't want to talk to them. I'm going out to play," I said in reply. "Thanks, okaa-san," I called back as I descended the stairs, heading for our tennis court in the temple.

I walked into the temple grounds, still wet from the downpour that had just recently stopped. How long was I asleep? Five minutes... fifteen? That kind of rain doesn't last very long. I studied the court. It was muddy, but I could handle it. I looked around. Oyaji wasn't here. He disliked playing in muddy courts.

"Ryoma-kun!" It was Kari. She was dressed for tennis, very likely that Mother had told her that I needed an opponent. "Let's play. I'll receive," We played a set.

The score was now 40-15, advantage, me. It was my turn to serve, but just as I was about to, someone entered the temple grounds. It was Father.

"Yo, seishounen!" He called. "There's quite a lot of people looking for you! Your mother invited them into the house, and said that you'll be there to see them shortly." He sighed. "I had to be the one sent to get you. Why do you always keep troubling me?"

"I do not want to see them," I replied, not even looking at him. I served, "Tell them to go home."

"I am not a message delivery boy. Go tell them that yourself."

Kari returned the shot, and we rallied. Kari performed a drop shot. 40-30.

"_Seishounen_!" Father yelled impatiently. "Your visitors!" When I didn't respond, his tone softened when he asked, "They rejected you?"

I sighed. "It hurt even more... than that time..." I shook my head, and served. Ace. "6-4."

"You can't compare physical and emotional pain, Ryoma," Kari said softly.

"I _do_ understand why he acted the way he did... and I _know_ that I _fully deserved_ it... and _yet_... it hurts _so much_ inside..." I sighed. There was silence, and I looked up. Mother was standing near the doors, a water bottle at her feet. Her hand was to her mouth, and she ran and embraced me. I closed my eyes. Vaguely, I felt Father hugging the both of us. _I'm... tired..._

I don't know how, but I was coerced to talk to my senpais. I guess I was too tired to argue. So here I am... in the living room, facing eight seniors. My senses are on the point of overloading, so I must've missed the weird looks from my senpais.

Since they were all mute, I decided to talk. "Y'know, from the beginning, I never dared _hope_ for anything more than what I already had... not from others... and not from myself... but... still... I was happy, simply _overjoyed_ that senpai-tachi had welcomed me back... even if it was only at first..." I took a deep breath. "I _really_ am _grateful_ for that... so... I-"

"Echizen Ryoma!" I looked up, startled. "Will you shut up? We came here to talk to _you_!" Kikumaru-senpai yelled.

"Well, _pardon me._ No one was _talking_ to _me_," I answered, pouting.

"_UNYA_, _Ochibi_! That was rude!" Kikumaru-senpai whined, then suddenly jumped and hugged me. "You're still the same Ochibi! I'm glad!" I nearly suffocated, if it wasn't for Oishi-senpai.

"You didn't change, did you? _Not one bit_, you... you**_ brat!_**" Surprisingly, it was Momo-senpai who said that. It looked like my attitude still had that effect on people.

"Who's the brat here? Me?" I asked, all innocence. "I thought I was just the _cute little __first year_ on the Seigaku tennis team..."

"Oh, shut up, Ryoma!" Momo-senpai snapped. "Can't you see that I'm trying to apologise for what I said back at school just now?"

"_Oh_? What made you wipe my slate clean?" I was suspicious.

"Because... I feel that I should give you a second chance," he answered, looking furtively at his senpais, Fuji and Inui, to be more specific. I stared at him. He looked uncomfortable. "Well, my _real_ reason is this: I want you back. In my life, in our team, playing together, running laps together, drinking Inui's horrible juice together... " He took a deep breath. "We _need_ you. _I_ need you. We _want_ you back."

I was astonished. I stood there, mouth slightly open, staring at Momo-senpai, until Tezuka said, "I'll expect you at afternoon practice tomorrow, Ryoma-kun."

I was going to answer, but someone said, "Ryoma-kun?" I turned and glared at the offending person. I was caught off guard.

"Sorry." Nanako said. "Aunt Rinko wanted me to remind you that you have a doctor's appointment tomorrow." She frowned at my mud-splashed clothes and said, "I'm doing the laundry. If you have anything to wash, now's the time." To the other boys, she smiled and said, "Have fun!"

I turned to my captain, "Sorry, Tezuka-buchou. Maybe the day after?"

"What about after your doctor's appointment?" Fuji-senpai asked.

"I guess so. I can meet senpai-tachi at say, five o'clock, at the street tennis courts? We can play a few games." I said.

* * *

"Doctor Takayama had already sent me the results of your test a few days ago, along with a a sample of your blood. I decided to do a test myself, and my results came out just yesterday." Doctor Ito said. I sat with both my parents and Nanako. We were at the hospital.

"I'm afraid that both tests came out positive." Mother and Nanako gasped. Father was silent. The doctor turned to look at me. "You are HIV positive, Ryoma-san."

I ducked my head. _I knew it...  
_

* * *

AN: Second part. There'll be a third and last part. Review!

lightyearsaway


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